It is possible to be imaginative and economical with puds (or desserts if you prefer). The best place to start is what fruit is in season? Apples! By creating different bits and pieces and keeping each bit and piece separate you've got more flexibility and so much more choice.
Turn a glut of apples into treasure trove
The most time consuming element of this recipe is peeling and quartering the apples but it's well worth it for the wonderful, yummy result!
Toffee Apples
but not as you think of them
6-8 large Cox's apples, peeled, quartered and each
quarter sliced into 4
115g/4oz unsalted butter
125g/4½oz soft dark brown sugar
1 medium orange, zest and juice
Place the apples, butter, soft dark brown sugar, orange zest and juice into a large frying pan and cook for 10 minutes until tender.
The recipe given will give you 1.5k/3.3lbs of toffee apples. I box up in smaller quantities – it's more economical and so no waste - you can pull out whatever you need. It's whatever suits you.
The world really is your lobster with the toffee apples :
You can serve hot or cold over ice cream or custard
You can use as a base for crumble
You can serve on top of waffles with ice cream or cream
You can serve as a filling in a crepé
Here's what they look like :
I'm so sorry you can't smell the apples.
Less is definitely more – treacly sugar, fragrant and zesty oranges and the richness of the butter – finally the hero - Cox apples.
Crumble topping
This is a new version of crumble. Crumble is personal, some like it soggy, others not.
For those who don't like that uncooked line of crumble you always seem to get when baking straight on top of the fruit, then this is for you.
Baked separately, it adds another element to a pud – it freezes well too.
Serves 6-8
depending on portion size!
120g cold unsalted butter, cubed
120g plain flour
60g caster sugar
60g demerara sugar
Pre-heat the oven to 180fan/200c/Gas 6.
Using a large mixing bowl, add the flour and butter and rub in until you have fine breadcrumbs, then add the sugar and combine. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and leave to cool. Box and fridge when cool.
Here it is :
A buttery, biscuity crumble and no uncooked
layer in the middle!
Assembly is easy peasy - sprinkle on top of your warmed toffee apples when you want a sweet hit.
Crunch!
It would be rude not to include an ice cream and so here's the old faithful :
Vanilla ice cream
Prep – 5 minutes
Total time – 5 minutes
plus freezing at least 6-8 hours
or until firm
Gives you 1.6 litres of ice cream is equal
to 18 scoops
1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk
1 x 600ml double cream
2tsp vanilla bean paste
Put the condensed milk, cream and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk until the mixture is quite thick and stiff, like pipeable whipped cream.**
Spoon the mixture into a lidded freezer-proof container and free for at least 6-8 hours or until firm.
** My variation – take a jar of salted caramel sauce (260g) – easily available at most large supermarkets – fold into the mixture to give a marbled effect.
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